December 8, 2017

Treefort Music Fest

Marcia Franklin sits down with Eric Gilbert and Lori Shandro Oüten, two of the founders of the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, to learn more about the five-day event, which began in 2012. The two discuss why they started the festival, how it’s changed since its inception, their business philosophy, and their goals.

The festival, which began with about 140 bands, now features more than 400 bands from all over the world, and nine “Subforts,” including "Hackfort," "Storyfort," "Alefort," and "Kidfort." In 2016, an estimated 16,000 people attended. The event won a Mayor's Award for Excellence in Art and History in 2013 from the city of Boise, and Boise named also named the festival its "Cultural Ambassador" for 2015, in recognition of its positive effect on the city's cultural scene and economy.